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INTERVIEW
Wizkid:
Ode to Lagos
Words By - Yemisi Suleiman
Super talented and a regular hitmaker, these are some of the attributes to describe
singer, songwriter, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, also known as Wizkid.
The 30-year-old Lagos born singer with hits after hits has risen to the world stage,
easily becoming the most internationally popular and influential act from Nigeria and
Africa. With successful collaborations with top music stars around the world including;
America’s Drake and Beyonce Knowles, the award-winning singer, continues to infuse his
Lagos roots into all of his music to massive success. Following an initial delay out of respect
for the recent events that happened in Nigeria, Wizkid finally released his muchanticipated
album ‘Made In Lagos, a fifteen tracker album that projects his love for the city.
From his London base, the Ojuelegba crooner talks about his attachment to Lagos,
musical journey, his thoughts on the #EndSARS, Police brutality, family love and more..
You’ve just released your new album,
Made in Lagos. Can you tell me about the
making of this album and writing of the
songs?
Yes, it took me nearly three years to make
this album. I had an incredible time creating it
and it was very personal. Everything
happened organically and I think the album is
a reflection of that, plus who I am today.
Are all the 15 songs influenced by Lagos,
what inspired you to write the songs?
The title of the album really explains itself.
It’s where I come from. Lagos is the place
that birthed me and it’s what made me who I
am today. With this project, I just want to
show people the amazing talent and music
that comes from our people. Music is very
soulful and spiritual to me, so I did my best to
put that into every song.
What does Lagos mean to you and what
do you love most about the city?
Lagos is everything to me. That is my
home. I love the people and the hustle spirit
in people.
The album features contributions from
Burnaboy, Skepta, and a few others, why
did you decide to work with them?
Yes, all the artistes featured make this
project even more special to me. They are all
artistes that I respect, and we all share a
genuine love for music and that is also very
important to me. I appreciate all of them for
blessing me with their time and talent.
This album was originally meant for
release in October, but you had to put
aside to join the #EndSARS protest in
London. What is your view on the
#EndSARS movement, do you think it’s
worth fighting for?
The #EndSARS movement is a beautiful
thing to see, in the sense that our
generation- Nigerian youths are coming
together to make our home country a better
place. That is real love and that is the real
energy that is going to go a long way in
changing things in our country. So, it was
important for me to play my part, and not
release my album at such a sensitive time.
Do you feel that artistes have a
responsibility to be political, especially at
the moment?
We are part of the community too. And it
is our role to show unity with the people.
They are our biggest fans. As an artiste, I
have been blessed to be on a platform like
this because of the people, and that is
something I do not forget easily.
How much does the politics of Nigeria
impact you as an artiste?
It is disheartening.
How did you get started as a musician
and songwriter?
I started in church with a few friends.
Who are your earliest musical
influences?
I grew up listening to a lot of Fela and Bob
Marley songs and that somehow influenced
me and my style of music today.
As an artist, what are some of your
favourite songs that you’ve written?
That is a hard question to answer because I
genuinely like everything.
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/ November 22, 2020